Weight loss surgery funding cut

Good news!

Georgia says cutting surgical weight loss from the state's plan was essential to help balance the budget. Their self-funded health care program had a projected deficit of $815 million for the 2012 and 2013 fiscal years.

The state says 1,577 members have had the surgery in the 2 1/2 years it has been covered for a total cost of $30.8 million. That works out to a little less than $20,000 per person.

In a statement to CNN, a spokeswoman for the state's health plan says, "We examined a number of options to address the projected deficits. It was imperative that these options be fiscally responsible, fair to the membership, and feature wellness and choice." The cuts eliminated the 2012 shortfall and reduced the 2013 shortfall...

For now, the initial cost of the surgeries was too much. The state says it is "aware of numerous studies projecting long-term savings over a five- to 10-year period following bariatric surgery but has not had the program in place long enough to realize any significant savings." It will continue to monitor to see whether the patients who had the surgery as state employees will end up saving them money.

Not a single penny for fat person surgery.

And have the fatsos pay for their illnesses of choice.

Cost savings?

Billions.